The Press., 1887-08-18


 it has already been ssSprinkled would neu- tralize its maliQnanf qualities and turn into 8 blessing what was designed as curse.''
 ''That appears to me very reasonable, said Father Rosie; ssand at any rate, as the boy has not yet been baptized, do not see what harm could result from per- hitting him to make the trial, we mean while standing by with bell, book and candle ready to intgrfere If occasion oe- mands.n
 aAn excellent ideaI'' cried Father Bour not, rising with alacrity. It will pc fine stroke of revenge, too, to make the devil who works 80 often to our lnJury1 work for once to our profit. !" ~ z
 ttFoolish man, l" exclaimed Father Tenn. pie, t'as if the devil has not thousand subtle subterfuges unfathomable to hu- man penetration. A4-
 Nevertheless, seeing that the others were bent upon the experiment, he made no further opposition, but, opening ms breviary, began to read attentiyely, while the Fathers Bournot and Rosie brought from the sacristy 8 basin of holy water, four blessed candles, lighted taper and small bell, which the altar boys were &C., customed to ring during the mass. These, after much consultation, 1t was decided to conceal under the bench, lest they should work 8 counter spell so strong as to inter fere altogether with the conJurations OK Saat; the which being done, the three con senting fathers ranged themselves m front of their sacred ammunition, eacn one carefully clasping his crucifx beneath B fold in his robe, and Father Fraize 1nd1- cated to Saat that he might proceed. Saat, who had not in the least compre- hended all these preparations, at once darted off to the Orangery, whence he soon returned with, three perfectly inno- cent looking oranges. The holy fathers exchanged glances of smiling increduhty at this mild beginning to performance of such wonderful promise, but Saat, quite unembarrassed by their gaze and appearing, indeed, to to- tally ignore their presence, placed h1s oranges upon the ground, carefully meas uring the spaces between them, then, withdrawing to 8 short distance, pros trated himself before each in turn with the utmost respect. After saIut1ng In this reverential manner the representa- tives of his pagan trinity, the youthful sorcerer furnished himself with three small branches from an orange tree, and, with renewed prostrRtions, planted one in each orange. A third time he went through this ceremony, accompanying h1s genuflexions with an unintelig1ble mutt tering, probably some cabahstic fncanta- tion; then rising with one of the green twigs in his hand turned his eyes, strangely glittering with light more than human, toward the wind swept sky. High up against the lustrous blue hovered tiny cloud, hardly larger than & doves wing, and transparent as lady's lace handkerchief. Saat, his small form seeming to dilate with some mysterious inward force, fixed his glittsring eyes upon this tiny cloud, at the same time ex- tending his orange branch with an air of irresistible command, when, to the utter amazenent of the good fathers, 8 fine rain immediately began to descend upon the thirsty garden beds.
 A few drops, penetrating the interstices of the arbor, chanced to fall upon the tonsured head of Father Temple, who had not ceased to read his breviary during all these mummeries.. Springing to his feet in consternation, he began to run to and fro, rubbing his head and crying out that he was scalded, whereupon Father Rosie, with admirable presence of mind, seized the benitier and drenched him with it's contents. But Father BournOt put forth his hand and gathering 8 heat curled vine leaf in whose hollow 8 little water had gathered, boldly drank it down, de- claring it to be cool and sweet as any that ever fell from heaven in answer to the most SalnCIy prayer.
 For whole hour the rain continued to fall with a gentle, whispering sound, Saat still maintaining his attitude of com mand with branch extended toward the tiny cloud which neither expanded nor grew less The dropping corn revived and lifted up it's shining blades rejoicingly, the bean vines clothed themselves anew in broad green leaves, seeming to climb visibly higher on their supporting poles, while the rotund pumpkins appeared to swell and glow with deeper golden hue before the astonished eyes of the bewil- dered monks. st>. ".t .7t ..., "A miracle without doubt," murmured the good Pere Fraize, "but to what saint shall we ascribe it?'' -..
 'tIt is as I said, ," returned Father Bour- not triumphantly. 1.-The powers of evil themselves can work only good within consecrated wallsy and we have captured 8 benefit from the very devil"
 Nevertheless, maintained Father Temple, eff the holy water and candles had not been at hand, or if I had ceased to read my breviary, il. might have ended quite differently" i.."",'.-~.,j.- .-. .: In the mean time, the rain having ceased, Saat, the supernatural light not yet entirely faded from his eyes, but in all other respects quite restored to his nor mally grave and dignif1ed demeanor, gath cred up the oranges and the little green branches and, carrying them to @ corner of the garden, reverently buried them in the moist earth. IT, -r..5 ;. :.
 But although the genuineness of the miracle was attested by the fact that not drop of rain had fallen outside the con- vent walls, and it's benevolent character fully maintained by the plenteous crop of maize, beans and pumpkins gathered in a few weeks later, the good fathers were agreed that they were not safe with 6 pagan sorcerer of such power in their 2nidsty and Saat was accordingly baptized with prayers and ceremonies of unusual solernnity and highest exercising power.
 He received the name of Amable, under which Christian sounding appellation he was still living at Martinique in the year 1718 a life of disenchanted usefulness Felix Gray in The TimesrDemocrat.
 A Richmond paper advocates the estab- fishment of @ Confederate museum foI the preservation of relics of Robert E. Lee, Stonewan Jackson and other heroes. ;!'a The 4O,OOO odd people who make ur